1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to support structures or support systems, and particularly to a portable support structure for supporting heavy loads on one shoulder, such as portable video cameras of the type used by professional television broadcast photographers and "still" cameras equipped with long lenses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has long been thought that the only way to secure studio-quality television broadcast film with a portable video camera was to mount the video camera on a stationary tripod, or to steady the video camera against an immovable object such as a wall or pillar. But mounting the video camera atop a tripod means that when it is necessary to move the camera to follow the subject being photographed the tripod must also be moved. Since most commercial tripods of the type sturdy enough to support a heavy professional-type video camera are themselves heavy and awkward to move because of the depending leg structure, it has been a continuing problem to provide the degree of mobility that is often required to photographically follow the action with a tripod-mounted video camera. Accordingly, one of the principal objects of the present invention is the provision of a portable video camera support structure that enables free mobility of the camera to follow the action being photographed, while supporting the camera in a steady state to enable the shooting of studio-quality video film. Applicant has been unable to find prior art in the literature or in photographic supply houses that solves this need.
A professional television broadcast cameraman is required to carry a heavy video camera cantilever-like on his shoulder while aiming the camera at the action being photographed. He must remain free to move bodily from one location to another to follow the action, while attempting to steady the forwardly projecting camera while shooting the scene. Because the camera projects forwardly of the cameraman, the center of gravity of the camera lies anteriorly of the cameraman, thus imposing a downwardly directed weight spaced forwardly from the body that must be supported to enable the camera to be trained on the scene. To support such a weight continuously for any reasonable length of time imposes severe stress and strain on the arm, back and shoulder muscles of the cameraman, resulting in fatigue that often prevents the cameraman from holding the camera sufficiently steady to shoot video film of the quality necessary for live broadcast of a scene. Therefore, another object of the invention is the provision of a video camera support structure that may be worn by the cameraman and which supports the weight of that portion of the video camera that projects forwardly from the shoulder.
Because of the great mobility that is required of the cameraman while shooting some scenes, jolting of the camera supported only by a tired arm incapable of absorbing the inertia of the moving camera causes sharp and sudden deflection of the camera, thus diminishing the quality of the photographed scene. It is therefore another object of the invention to provide a support system or structure to be worn by the cameraman that supports a major portion of the weight of the video camera, and which damps movement of the camera in relation to the cameraman and the support structure to thus enable the shooting of video film of broadcast quality with highly portable video camera.
Years of experience as a professional video broadcast cameraman has taught me that carrying a heavy video camera on one shoulder, as is the custom, results in the body reacting to retain the spine straight against the tendency of the weight of the camera to bend the spine in the direction of the camera. This reaction, in a surprisingly short interval, results in pain in the neck, shoulders, arms and back, and because of the fatigue thus produced, may also result in mediocre photography. Accordingly, a still further object of the invention is the provision of a camera support structure or system to be worn by a cameraman that transfers to the shoulder opposite the one carrying the camera part of the weight of the camera so that the load is balanced on the body, thus eliminating the need for the body to react by generating adaptive stress to support the load.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a television broadcast type video camera support structure that minimizes the need for a tripod, that enables a surprising degree of steadiness for broadcast quality shooting of wide shots, telescopic and zoom shots, and which enables "air" quality video photography for sport shooting and "walking" shots.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a video camera support structure or system adapted to be worn by a professional television broadcast photographer that may be worn with a variety of clothing types, depending upon the weather, without modifying the effectiveness of the structure or system.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a video camera support structure or system adapted to be worn by a professional television broadcast cameraman for supporting the camera while photographing scenes, and which incorporates means for adjusting the degree of damping effect provided to accommodate impact shocks and jolts of the camera.
The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be apparent from the following description and the drawings. It is to be understood however that the invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated and described since it may be embodied in various forms within the scope of the appended claims.